Community Animal Services may have the right pet for you

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on May 7, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Abby Oriold, team lead animal care at Community Animal Services, holds Sydney, who has been at the shelter since Christmas waiting to be adopted Thursday at the animal shelter.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Community Animal Services in Lethbridge is encouraging residents to adopt as they are over capacity at the animal shelter with both dogs and cats alike.
Community Animal Services, formerly known as the Lethbridge Animal Shelter, held a media availability on Thursday to spread the word throughout the community about the excess of animals currently under their care.
“Currently most rescue groups and animal shelters in the province and probably all over the country really, are just kind of at a struggling point. There’s a high demand to intake animals and there seems to be less of a demand to adopt,” said Skylar Plourde, director of services with Community Animal Services in Lethbridge.
He said that one possible explanation is the fact that many animals were adopted at the beginning of the pandemic and now that people are not at home as often, animals are being surrendered.
“It could be other factors as well, but we’re all struggling and certainly I don’t want to say that only the City of Lethbridge shelter is struggling and you should only adopt from the shelter, our messaging is that we just simply encourage adoption,” said Plourde.
He said that even though their capacity fluctuates on a daily basis due to the fact that they deal with stray animals that get returned to their owners, they have been operating over capacity for the last few months.
“Because of the fewer adoptions or the fewer people interested in adoptions the animals end up staying here longer which puts more burden on the entire system,” said Plourde.
He said the veterinary costs have been going up because the longer the animals are at the shelter, the more needs they may have and they are having to deal with that.
“It’s not a home environment that you can contribute to better healing of injuries and dealing with issues and stuff like that,” said Plourde.
He said that the best way to get through this, solve the problem and hopefully reduce it from happening again in the future is really three things: spay and neuter animals, register pets and adopt.
“If you’re looking at a pet I’m not going to say that you should never look at a breeder because there certainly is reputable breeders, but there’s also buildings everywhere and foster programs full of cats and dogs and there’s nothing wrong with them,” said Plourde.
He said those animals deserve a good home, they are good pets and they need some extra love and care. Especially those that have been in the shelter for a long time.
They have been caring for some of the animals since September last year. They also have a few puppies that were born in the shelter and are ready for adoption.
For information on animals ready to be adopted and the adoption process visit https://www.communityanimalservices.ca/

Follow @APulidoHerald on Twitter